Tinner Hill facts for kids
Tinner Hill is a special historical place in Falls Church, Virginia. It's named after Charles and Mary Tinner, an African-American couple who bought land there a long time ago, in the late 1800s. Their family also dug up stone from the ground, which was used to build many buildings nearby.
Later, between 1910 and 1918, their relative Joseph Tinner and Edwin Bancroft Henderson worked hard for civil rights. Civil rights are the basic rights that all people should have, like fairness and equal treatment. Joseph and Edwin even helped start the very first group of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in a small town area. The NAACP is an organization that works to make sure all people have equal rights.
Fighting for Rights at Tinner Hill
In 1915, Joseph Tinner and Dr. Edwin B. Henderson started a group called the Colored Citizens Protective League (CCPL). Dr. Henderson was already a member of the NAACP in Washington D.C. They formed this group because Falls Church passed a new rule. This rule tried to keep African-American people living in only certain parts of town.
The CCPL believed this rule was unfair. They filed a lawsuit to stop it, and they won their case in the highest court in Virginia. Even though they won, schools in the area still kept students separated by race. Dr. Henderson later said that Falls Church gave the Tinner Hill area to Fairfax County. He thought they did this to stop African-American residents from voting in Falls Church elections. In 1917, the U.S. Supreme Court also ruled against similar separation laws across the country.
Dr. Henderson also asked the NAACP to create a local group in Falls Church. At first, the NAACP only had groups in big cities. But in 1918, they allowed the CCPL to become the Falls Church and Vicinity NAACP. This was the first NAACP group in a rural, or small town, area. It had about 40 members. Joseph Tinner was the first president, and Dr. Henderson was the secretary. Later, in 1944, this group became known as the "Fairfax County Branch" of the NAACP.
Remembering Their Efforts
There are two special places that remember the history of Tinner Hill. One is a park with signs that explain the history. It also has a picnic area and a sculpture. This park is next to where the Tinner family used to live.
There is also a stone arch at the corner of Washington Avenue and Tinner Hill Road. The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation built this arch in 1999. It has signs that honor Joseph Tinner and E.B. Henderson. This large monument is made of pink granite stone. It also honors all the men and women from Tinner Hill and the first rural NAACP group. Some people have expressed concern that new tall buildings near the monument make it harder to see.
The stone used to build the arch came from old buildings in Falls Church. Joseph Tinner had dug up and shaped this granite stone himself before 1922. The monument also reminds people of another large stone arch Joseph Tinner built. That arch was torn down many years ago when a car dealership was built. The new monument was designed so it cannot be taken apart without being destroyed. The type of rock used is now very rare.
A famous blues musician named John Jackson performed at the arch's dedication ceremony. There are also two short films about Tinner Hill. One film shows how the arch was built, and another tells the story of Tinner Hill and its people.
Tinner Blues Festival
Since 1993, there has been an annual Tinner Blues Festival. It happens on the second Saturday of June in Cherry Hill Park, which is in the City of Falls Church. Many blues musicians from across the country and the local area play at this event. The festival also honors the memory of John Jackson, the blues musician.
